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from the the-inconceivable-has-become-commonplace dept.
SpaceX launches 60 more Starlink internet satellites from Cape Canaveral:
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched 60 more Starlink internet relay satellites on Saturday, boosting the total number launched to date to 895 as the company builds out a planned constellation of thousands designed to provide global high-speed broadband service.
Running two days late because of an on-board camera issue, the Falcon 9's twice-flown first stage thundered to life at 11:31 a.m. EDT, pushing the 229-foot-tall rocket away from pad 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. It was the California rocket builder's 19th launch so far this year and its 15th Starlink flight.
[...] With Saturday's launch, SpaceX has put 895 Starlinks into orbit, 180 of them — more satellites than any other company owns — in less than three weeks.
(Score: 2) by Rosco P. Coltrane on Monday October 26 2020, @04:14PM (20 children)
means more orbital debris crowding LEO in a few years - like it needed more. Also, more difficulties for astronomers who need a clear sky.
Not a criticism, just an observation.
(Score: 2) by Freeman on Monday October 26 2020, @04:44PM (14 children)
While that is true, LEO debris, isn't so troublesome as debris on a much higher orbit. So long as the debris in LEO won't cause problems when it falls out of the sky. Now, one can complain about the introduction of lots of man made objects, clogging up the sky, but have you heard of airplanes? Sure, maybe not as troublesome as bunches of satellites, but all things considered, they can be tracked and edited out. For the most part, they're not likely to cause problems.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Freeman on Monday October 26 2020, @05:33PM (1 child)
The surface area of the earth is approximately 510,072,000 sq km. In the event that we have 40,000 satellites in orbit around the earth, that would be 1 satellite per 12,751 square km. The surface area of an imaginary sphere that encompasses the earth at low earth orbit around 200miles above the surface, would be even larger. Sure, it could be somewhat annoying and troublesome for star gazing / astronomy, but the problem isn't as great as it's made out to be. At least not, yet. Also, while the Starlink constellation poses an interesting challenge to Space vehicles. It's not an unprecedented problem. Most space objects are already being tracked, because you don't want to inadvertently run into them when you launch your multi-million dollar rocket. It's definitely something to think about, but it's already regulated by various agencies.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 27 2020, @09:52PM
Assuming uniform distribution is a horrible estimation. Do you know the delta-vee needed to put something into orbit out of the equatorial plane? That's not cheap and is not often done for LEOs. Your orbital plane strongly related to your launch latitude.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by FatPhil on Monday October 26 2020, @07:53PM (11 children)
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by Freeman on Monday October 26 2020, @08:29PM (10 children)
The mere presence of humans, pollutes the environment. Do you drive a car, ride a bus, use any sort of transportation? You're polluting even more or participating in group pollution. There is no escaping pollution. You want to talk about something that pollutes, how about every single rocket launch? Do you litter? Do you put your trash in a landfill? Do you incinerate your trash? I would hazard a guess that 90% or more of the world's population, can't even spot a satellite. What's more, that's likely to hold true, no matter the country. I would be hard pressed to point out any of the planets, even though I know some are able to be seen with the naked eye. *For some version of seen, being just another bright spot in the sky.* I find it pretty amazing at what we can achieve and support reasonable environmental conservation efforts. As the sentient beings on the top of the food chain*, it's up to us to make sure the Earth is taken care of. Instead of being irate over someone "messing with my sky", one could be glad someone might finally be able to one-up the telecom companies. While I doubt Starlink will ever replace the likes of AT&T, et al. Starlink may be able to bring 21st century connectivity to the world. For better or worse.
*Results may vary, depending on circumstances and disposition of large meat eating animals.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Monday October 26 2020, @10:59PM (9 children)
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Username on Tuesday October 27 2020, @12:00AM (1 child)
So you're basically saying, whatabout whataboutism? It seems you like whataboutism as well.
What a nonsensical term.
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Tuesday October 27 2020, @11:25AM
Which is also written "that's whataboutism".
The latter is shorter. Therefore it's even better than the original phrase it stands for.
If you think it's nonsensical, that's because of some mental inadequacy within your own cranium, and nothing to do with the word itself. Language evolves, get over it.
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by Freeman on Tuesday October 27 2020, @03:23PM (6 children)
No, my comments were directly related to your comments. You just didn't like them. You're complaining about a bunch of bright lights "polluting" the sky. You know what pollutes the sky even more than that, City lights. Why do you think Astronomers, have to move to Hawaii, anger the locals, and build an observatory on the top of a sacred mountain? Or as some would say, pollute my view of the beautiful mountain, with their ugly building. Questions make you think.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Tuesday October 27 2020, @03:48PM (5 children)
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by Freeman on Tuesday October 27 2020, @04:31PM (4 children)
Okay, how about, this. The general population doesn't care about your "unpolluted sky" and would like some nice internet. Also, Space is Big and you're whinging about theoretical harm to an expensive hobby. Cry me a river. You can feel wronged, if you feel like it.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Tuesday October 27 2020, @10:15PM (3 children)
How many of the "general population" now have this "nice internet" thanks to these satellites? Real numbers please, with a cite. I'd like to know what the benefits really are.
And since when has billions of dollars of international science budgets been dismissable as a "hobby"? Because it's professional scientists who are complaining about the pollution, not just a few amateurs.
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by Freeman on Thursday October 29 2020, @03:59PM (2 children)
The problem is a technical challenge, nothing more. SpaceX has done more than just turn a deaf ear as well. They've been working on components to reduce the brightness factor of their satellites. Which is one of the bigger complaints apparently.
https://www.space.com/spacex-starlink-satellites-astronomers-visibility-response.html [space.com]
Starlink represents a real possibility for those out in the boondocks to actually get modern communication services. It's a much simpler task for a place like the UK to connect every citizen via good wired infrastructure. The UK has a surface area of 242,495 km squared. While the United States has a surface area of 9,833,520 km squared. The entirety of Europe has a surface area of 10,180,000 km squared. It's much more akin to providing good wired internet service to the whole of Europe. Yet, perhaps China would be a better comparison, it being a single country with 9,596,961 km squared surface area. They've actually got real deserts there too, unlike Europe.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Friday October 30 2020, @01:37AM (1 child)
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by Freeman on Monday November 02 2020, @03:43PM
'eh, the USA's troubles aren't your troubles, I get it. Neither are Africa's troubles your troubles. Perhaps, you'll care about other Non-European places at some point.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 4, Funny) by DannyB on Monday October 26 2020, @05:08PM
Can't astronomers simply go to a planetarium to make observations?
Young people won't believe you if you say you used to get Netflix by US Postal Mail.
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Monday October 26 2020, @07:44PM (3 children)
Small teeny tiny satellites means more orbital debris crowding LEO in a few years - like it needed more. Also, more difficulties for astronomers who need a clear sky.
I hope you don't consider my edit to have distorted your observation too much.
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by Freeman on Monday October 26 2020, @08:34PM (2 children)
The beauty of satellites in LEO, is that we aren't screwing up something that would take 100 years or more to de-orbit, if it would even de-orbit at all.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Monday October 26 2020, @11:09PM (1 child)
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 27 2020, @12:16PM
Yeah, sure. Keep up your rich Euro whinging about how the poor people are blocking your view of the stars with their damn satellites.